Sgt. James Ng, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, trains a Nanakuli Elementary School student on tactically high-crawling under simulated barbed wire as part of an obstacle course set up by Soldiers from the 225th BSB, July 7, 2017. The obstacle course aimed to energize the students into getting ready for the school year. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Charles Vorasingha, 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division)

NANAKULI — Soldiers from the 225th Brigade Support Battalion, “Dragons,” 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, participated in Nanakuli Elementary School’s annual Summer Bash. The school is located on the west coast of Oahu.

Last year, Nanakuli Elementary partnered with the 225th BSB to create this event to boost early registration for kindergarten and increase overall enrollment.

While the Summer Bash started off as a way to bolster the student body through early registration, it quickly evolved into a fun event for the whole community.

A Nanakuli Elementary School student sprints to the next station of the obstacle course during the school’s 2017 Summer Bash, July 7, 2017. The obstacle course was set up by Soldiers of the 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, as part of the partnership program between the 225th BSB and Nanakuli Elementary. In the background, Sgt. John Karr, a Soldier with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 225th BSB, keeps time on this record-breaking attempt. (U.S. Army photo by Capt. Charles Vorasingha, 225th Brigade Support Battalion, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division)

“We wanted families to come to the school early, and we thought a good way of attracting them was to give away school supplies,” said State Rep. Andria Tupola, who represents District 43 in the Hawaii State House of Representatives. “We decided to have booths full of school supplies and others where they could learn, get free books and get educational tips.”

Over 20 sponsors and vendors from around the Nanakuli area participated in this year’s Summer Bash on July 7. The focus was on health, wellness and literacy, and local businesses donated school supplies, offered discounted haircuts and promoted healthy living.

“It was a joint initiative with Rep. Tupola and our school,” Lisa Ann Higel, Nanakuli Elementary School’s principal, said. “Let’s help families with some school supplies when they come. To do this, we needed some vendor support. That made it grow into, ‘Let’s have some health, wellness and literacy booths,’ turning it into a kickoff event before school starts.”

Children were encouraged to play games and rewarded with free books. Soldiers from the 225th BSB lent a hand by running some of the game booths and playing with the keiki.

To help promote active lifestyles and to energize the community, Dragon Soldiers set up an obstacle course for the children. The course consisted of events such as sprints, pushups, sit-ups, hula hooping, high crawling under simulated barbed wire and a sack race.

“It’s always an honor and privilege to serve in the communities we live in,” said Capt. John Szpyrka of the 225th BSB. “As Soldiers, we want to be a part of those communities. Participating in events like this allows us to show a small token of our appreciation to the permanent residents who host us around this great nation and the rest of the world.”